Tuesday, 11 July 2017

Haymarket, Capitol Theatre

This row of shops, cafes and restaurants are part of the Capitol Theatre along Pitt Street, in the inner city suburb of Haymarket. It was originally designed by George McRae and built in 1892 in the Federation Free Classical architectural style for use as the Belmore Markets. In 1916, the building was converted to a hippodrome designed specifically for the Wirth Bros Circus. It was converted into the Capitol Theatre in 1928 by John Eberson, a renowned American designer of theatrically themed theatres. In 1981, a conservation order saved it from demolition and it was restored and reconstructed in the 1990s. It is currently the musical Kinky Boots which is why it is bathed in red light at night.